1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cyclic ketals of N-alkylimidazoles and the pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts thereof which are useful as anticonvulsant agents. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutically acceptable composition containing an effective amount of at least one of the compounds in combination with a suitable excipient, the composition being useful for preventing and/or treating convulsions in mammals. The invention also relates to a process for making the compounds of the invention. The invention also relates to the pharmaceutical uses of the ketone intermediates of formula (II) used in preparing compounds of formula (I).
2. Prior Art
It is known that compounds of the formula ##STR2## wherein Ar is inter alia phenyl, wherein the phenyl group may be substituted by one to three substituents which are independently halo, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, nitro or cyano; and Z is --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 CHR--, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, or --CH(CH.sub.3)--CH(CH.sub.3)-- wherein R is inter alia alkyl of one to ten carbon atoms exhibit antifungal and antibacterial activity. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,575,999 and 3,793,453, Great Britain Pat. No. 1,528,639 and Belgium Pat. Nos. 877,446 and 877,447. A novel class of compounds has now been prepared that not only exhibit antifungal and antibacterial activity but more importantly exhibit anticonvulsant activity.